watrous



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet 1.

E. G. WATROUS.

HART/ESTER.

No. 425,529. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

in A TTORNEK (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

B. G. WATROUS. HARVESTER.

No. 425,529. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

M: 1 I 1 I 6r i z iw A TTORNEY.

ms Noam versus (20., FHOTOLIIMQQWASMINGTON, u. C

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

EARL G. \VATROUS, OF HOOSICK FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE WALTER A. IVOOD MOWING AND REA'PING MACHINE COMPANY, OF

SAME PLACE.

HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,529, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed November 23, 1889. Serial No. 331,812. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL G. \VATROUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoosick Falls, county of Rensselaer, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harvesters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My present invention relatesmore particularly to that type of harvesters used in connection with automatic grain-binders, and known in the art as low-down machines, although some of its features may be successfully applied to other types of harvesters;

In the drawings the driving-wheel is represented as mounted in a frame which is pivoted at its rear to the platform-frame and at its front to the tongue-frame. This frame is free at the will. of the driver to be oscillated on the axle of the driving-wheel as a pivot.

This invention consists in a novel raising and lowering and tilting device, and also in the mechanism used to transmit motion from the driving-wheel to the operating devices carried on the platform-frame, which mech anism is of such a construction that its oper-' ation is not disturbed, irrespective of the position which the platform-frame may assume. In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may readily understand the same, I will now more particularly describe it.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

in which only so much of a harvesteris shown as is necessary to illustrate my invention, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a top plan view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of details of the raising and lowering devices. Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of details of the driving mechanism.

A is the front longitudinal sill of the platform-frame.

B is the wheel or main frame.

0 is the pole or tongue frame.

The main frame is pivoted to the front longitudinal sill A of the platform-frame or to brackets attached thereto at a a upon. which pivots a a the platfornrframe is tilted with respect to the main frame 13, in order to change the angle of inclination of the platform-frame, and consequently of the cutting apparatus. The main frame B is pivoted to the tongueframe at c 0. Both the platform-frame and the main frame are rocked on the axle (Z of the driving-wheel D to change the height of the cutting apparatus.

E is a lever pivoted to the front of the main frame 011 a stud e, secured in the frame B. The hub of the lever E is formed hollow to receive a stiff spiral spring 6, which is coiled around the stud e, and has one end 6 projected through a slot 6 in the hub of the lever E. The other end of the spiral spring 6' is secured to a segment F, pivoted also on the stud c. The segment F is formed with two segmental racks ff, which are engaged, respectively, by the spring-detents g g.

A rod G is connected at g to an upright G, supported from the front longitudinal I side of the platform-frame, from which it extends forwardly and is bent at right angles at its front end, where it is pivoted in a bracket H, attached to lever E. The bracket H is provided with two adj ustingholes h h, for the purpose of changing the range of adj ustment of the platform-frame It is evident thatby swinging the leverE on the stud e as a pivot the platform-frame will be rocked on its pivotal connections a a with the main frame, and the angle of inclination of the cutting apparatus carried 011 the platformframe be changed.

Inasmuch as the rear end of the platformframe, by reason of the platform being pivoted at its front end, has a tendency to drop, I have applied the spring 6, as shown, so that its expansion will assist the operator in tilting the points of the guards downwardly. The spring e when put in place is coiled or compressed sufficiently so that when the lever E is free to rock on its pivot 12 and with re gard to the segment F, the expansion of the spring will tend to tilt the points of the guards downwardly and the rear end of the platform upwardly. The lever E extends beyond its pivot e and carries a detent g, pivoted thereto at g". A spiral spring 6 is interposed between a lug e on the detent and a corresponding lug e on the lever E, The spring e acts to force the detent g into engagement with the rack f. A rod 6 is connected to the detent g and to a suitable hand-lever carried on the top of the lever E, by which the detent may be disengaged from the rack f, when the lever E will be free to be rocked on the stud e. The segment F is perforated at f, and receives one end of the link F, the other end of which is pivoted in a standard F attached to the tongue-frame. It is evident that the rocking of the segmentF on the stud 6 will, through the link F, rock the main frame, together with the platform-frame connected therewith, thereby raising or lowering the height of the cutting apparatus. The segment F is normally held rigid with respect to lever E by the detent g ,which is pivoted between the flanges g g of segment F, and is forced by the spring 9, interposed between the detent and a lug on the segment F, into engagement with the rack f. The detent g is connected by a rod 9 with a foot lever 9 mounted on the pole-frame and within reach of the driver on his seat. By means of the lever g and the rod g the detent g is released from the rack f, and the detent g being left in engagement with the rack f, the movement of the lever E will carry with it the segment F, and the main frame through the link F will be rocked on the axle of the driving-wheel. Of course it will be understood from the previous description, taken in connection with the drawings, that when it is desired to tilt the platform-frame on its pivotal connections with the main frame, the detent g is left in engagement with the rack f and the detent 'g disengaged from the rack f; also that to raise and lower the platform-frame or to rock it on the axle of the driving-wheel, the detent g will be left in engagement with the rack f and the detent g disengaged from the rack f, the rocking of the lever E serving both to tilt and to raise or depress the cutting apparatus. a

From an inspection of the drawings it will be noticed that when the main frame is rocked on the axle of the driving-wheel the angle of inclination of the platform, were the link or rod G attached to the pole-frame or to the axis of movement of the lever E, would be changed. If, however, it is desirable that the platform should, during the rocking of the main frame, maintain a uniform position with reference to the ground, this can be accomplished by placing the bracket H of the lever E, in which is pivoted the forward end of the rod G, at the requisite distance from the pivot e of the lever E, so that the backward movement of the lever E and the rod G will rock the platform-frame on its pivotal connections with the main frame enough to compensate for the inclination given to the platform-frame by its rocking on the axle of the drivingwheel. The distance of the'pivot of the rod G in bracket H from the pivot of the leverE certain distance, and the distance of the pivotal point of attachment of the platform-and main frame to the connection of the rod G with the platform-frame,

In the drawings I have shown the rod G attached to lever E at a sufficient distance from the pivot of the latter to lower the rear end of the platform when the main frame is ralsed on the axle of the driving-wheel, which-construction is advantageous, as it brings about the tilting of the points of the guards or the cutting apparatus when the lever E is moved so as to lower the platform-frame, the main frame rocking about the axle of the drivingwheel. The lever E, it will be noticed, and the front of the main frame, move inopposite directions. WVhen the lever is raised, the front of the main frame is lowered, and consequently the rear of the main frame elevated,and vice versa.

When the rear end of the main frame, and consequently the platform-frame, is raised by lever E, the position of the platform may be regulated by letting the detent g into engagement with rack f, releasing the detent g from rack f, and then moving the lever E to' bring the platform in any desired position. It is evident that by this arrangement the position of the platform may be uniform, its rear end may be depressed or elevated, according to the distance of the point of attachment of' the rod G to. the bracket H from the pivot e of the plat-form may be uniform or its rear end elevated or depressed. All of these results may be accomplished by the same 'arrangement-i. e, the rocking lever on the main frame connected to both the pivoted platform-frame and to the pivotedtongueframe.

In order that the platform-frame may be tilted on its pivotal connections with the main frame and the operative relation of the op IIO erative mechanism carried on the platform which meshes with a bevel-gear J mounted on the axle of the driving-wheel and receiving its motion by anysuitable clutch mech-' The shaft J is parallelwith anism therefrom. .the advance of the machine, and at its rear end carries an internal bell-mouthed gear J provided with cog-teeth J Mounted on a stud rigidly secured to the front of the platform-frame is a sprocket-wheel J provided with an elongated hub J which has on its forward end the elliptically-sha' p ed'- teeth J which take into the bell-mouthed gear J The articulation between the bellmouthed gear J and the teeth J7 is in line with the pivotalconnections a a of the platform and main frames. A sprooket-chain passing over the sprocket-wheel J 5 serves to communicate motion to the various operative devices carried on the platform-frame. It is evident that the platform-frame under this construction may be tilted on its pivotal connections with the main frame without disturbing the driving relation of the shaft J. It will also be noticed that as the platform-frame tilts on its pivotal connections with the main frame the elliptical teeth J 7 are free to roll or rock on the teeth J, and that owing to this elliptical shape the bearing surface of the bellmouthed gear on the teeth J T is not decreased as the platform-frame is tilted. The shaft J, being mounted in the main frame, swinging or rocking on the axle of the driving-wheel, par-takes of the movement of the main frame and the gears J J are always locking device connecting the lever to the main frame, a second link connected to the pole-frame, and a locking device connecting the second link and the lever, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the main frame rocking on the axle of the driving-wheel, the platform-frame pivoted thereto in rear thereof, the tongue-frame pivoted thereto in front thereof, a lever mounted on the main frame, a segmental rack mounted concentrically with the lever, a link connecting the pole frame and the segmental rack, a link connecting the platform-frame and the lever, a detent mounted on the lever to engage the segmental rack, and a second detent on the main frame to lock the segmental rack in a fixed position with regard to the main frame.

3. The combination of the main frame rocking on the axle of the driving-wheel, the tongue-frame pivoted thereto in front thereof, the platform-frame pivoted thereto in rear thereof, a rocking lever mounted on the main frame, a segment pivoted concentrically with the axis of movement of the lever, two segmental racks on the segment, a detentmounted on the lever to engage with one segmental rack to lock the latter fast with the lever, a detent on the main frame to engage the other segmental rack, a link connected with the tongue-frame and the segment, a second link connected to the lever and the platformframe, and means to disengage the detcnts from the racks, whereby the lever is adapted to both tilt the platform-frame on its pivotal connection with the main frame and to rock the latter, together with the platform-frame, on the axle of the driving-wheel, substantiallv as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of the main frame rocking on the axle of the driving-wheel, the tongue-frame pivoted thereto in front thereof, and the platform-frame pivoted thereto in rear thereof, a rocking lever on the main frame, asegment pivoted concentrically with the axis of movement of the lever, adetent on the lever taking into a rack in the segment, a detent on the main frame taking into a second rack on the segment, a spring secured to the lever at one end and to the segment at the other, a link connected to the segment and the tongue-frame, a second link connected to the platform-frame and to the lever, and means to disengage the detents from the racks,whereby the spring assists in tilting the platform-frame on its pivoted connections with the main frame and does not interfere with the rocking of the machine on the axle, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of the main frame rocking on the axle of the driving-wheel, the platform-frame pivoted thereto in rear thereof, and the ton gne-frame pivoted thereto in front thereof, a lever pivoted on the main frame, a segment pivotedconcentrically with the axis of movement of the pivoted lever, a link connecting the lever and platform-frame, a link connecting the segment and tongue-frame, and means for locking the segment to the lever and the segment to the main frame, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination of the main frame, the platform-frame pivoted thereto in rear thereof, the drivingnvheel and its driving-gear mounted in the main frame, a counter-shaft mounted in the main frame parallel with the advance of the machine, a gear thereon meshingwith the driving-gear, and a communicating-shaft on the platform-frame articulated by a universal joint with the counter-shaftin line with the pivotal connections of the main and platform frames, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination of the main frame, the driving-wheel and its driving-gear mounted thereon, a counter-shaft mounted in the main frame parallel with the advance of the machine, a gear on the forward end of the co untershaft meshing with the drivinggear, the platform-frame pivoted to the main frame, a bellmouthed gear on the rear end of the countershaft, and a communicating-shaft on the platform-frame having a hub with elliptical geartceth taking into the bell-mouthed gear in the line of the pivotal connection of the main and platform frames, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination, with the main frame, of the driving- Wheel and its driving-gcar mounted thereon, a counter-shaft mounted in the main frame parallel with the advance of the machine, a gear on the forward end of the counter-shaft meshing; with the driving-gear, shaft on the platform-frame articulating by the platform-frame pivoted to the main frame, a universal joint in line with the ptvotal conacommunicating-shaft on the platform-frame neetions 0f the main and platform frames 15 articulating by a universal joint with the with the driving-shaft, substantially as and 5 counter-shaft in the main frame in line with for the purpose specified.

the pivoted connection of the main and plat- In Witness whereof I have hereto set my form frames, and a lever for tilting the plathand this 21st day of November, 1889. form-frame, as and for the purpose specified.

9. The combination, with the main frame, EARL G. WVATROUS. [O of the platform-frame pivoted thereto, a driv- Vitnesses:

ing-shaft in the main frame parallel with the L. A. LINCOLN,

advance of the maohine,and a communicating- II P. BLAOKNELOR. 

